Anybody help me diagnose problem with Momentum Model T?

[moomoomoo]

Hello,

Can someone help me diagnose problems with 2016 Momentum Model T?

My Model T is cutting out power from the motor. By this I mean I cycle, the controller lights are all green, battery charged, the front and back lights are on, and at some point about 45 seconds into the journey the power provided by the motor *just stops* being provided.

The lights stay on, the controller lights don't change, and there's no indication anything is wrong except no power from the motor.

If I turn the bike on and off via the controller the motor starts to provide power again for a while until it cuts out again. Lights and controller all stay on and show no sign of any problems. At a guess I'd say It's worse (cuts out sooner/more often) the colder it is.

Any idea what could be causing it?

Help!

 

[Nealh]

Check all your wiring connections first and check for tightness with all connectors.

The fact that the led/lcd & lights stay on suggest that voltage supply/contact isn't the issue.
My money is more on that it is likely to be a battery issue with the LVC coming in to play, sounds as if the voltage is collapsing under load. If a battery issue then could be a bad cell string or out of balance battery only way of knowing is to open it and test/check it with a meter or have someone who knows what they are doing to check it out.
Putting in your location may help if some one is able to assist you.

For a basic check charge the battery inside at ambient room temperature measure the voltage to see what it reads, mostly we can only guess at what the cause might be without physically being able to see the problem.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I don't think it's a battery problem. The indicator lights and display would go off if the battery cut, then you'd have to switch back on before you could get any power.

I've no personal experience of that bike, but I'd be looking at the torque sensor. Is there any sort of calibration procedure in the manual?

 

[moomoomoo]

Thank you both. I'm not sure it's a battery issue either as the running lights stay on (they're powered by the main battery) and there's no flicker or change in brightness at all. Additionally the controller lights don't change at all.

Unfortunately there's no calibration procedure.

I'm not getting any responses from Momentum which is a shame, I like the Model T bike otherwise but it's barely 2 years old and to fail like this (and have no way of getting any service/diagnostics) reflects badly on Momentum.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

We sell Momentum and they are normally pretty good at responding but have had some internal changes which might be why you have not heard back. Their e-bikes comes with a 2 year warranty if you bought it new (on the electrics). If you drop me an email dw@electrifyingcycles.co.uk I can forward your email to someone who should be able to help. Your warranty is with the retailer so they should be doing this for you.

All the best
David

 

[Deleted member 4366]

One simple thing to check before going any further: Check that the motor connector on the fork is pressed in all the way to the line.

 

[moomoomoo]

One simple thing to check before going any further: Check that the motor connector on the fork is pressed in all the way to the line.

Thank you - just went out and tried that. Nothing wrong there, the connection is fine.

I just realised that it stops delivering power whether there is any load or not.

To explain: for example I'll switch it on, and if I pedal before 15 or so seconds I get power until about 15 seconds, after that nothing. If I switch it on and don't pedal and wait 20 seconds, no power assistance.

Same with the walk-along function.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

All you can do is check every connector.

 

[Nealh]

With no power loss to the led and it remaining live, then the next port of call as d8veh noted is the automatics torque sensor, it might be a re calibration is required or a faulty unit or even a wire fault from said sensor.

 

[moomoomoo]

With no power loss to the led and it remaining live, then the next port of call as d8veh noted is the automatics torque sensor, it might be a re calibration is required or a faulty unit or even a wire fault from said sensor.

Nealh,

Thanks - I did think of that but the thing that seems odd is the "working for a little while whether or not there's any pedalling going on". The walk-along also experiences the same thing.

My guess is something is overheating/tripping - but without any correlation to pedal load. I don't know enough about the wiring set-up to guess at what that might be.

Another clue is that it's gotten progressively worse - from cutting out after 20 minutes, to 5 minutes, to 90 seconds, 30, seconds, and now it's at 10 seconds.

I wish Spencer Cycles was still in business as I'd buy another spencer Ivy like a shot.

Thank again for your input.

Mick

 

[Nealh]

If the bike is still under warranty then it is back to the retailer for help or Electrifying Cycles offer might be the way forward , hopefully before too long you get the problem sorted out.

 

[Nealh]

Power supply issues are related to battery, controller or even a faulty led.. The led has a 5v supply so stays on so, until the battery is checked out a fault can't be ruled out though an intermittent wire short anywhere can cause the issue.

 

[Boneidle]

Momentum have moved there operation to Paris and have new contact info, try this email: hello@momentumelectric.com

They have replied to me this week regarding a query about my Upstart

this is there new web page

https://momentum-electric.bike/en/


For some reason there old page is still which is confusing as hell as its the one that comes up in the search results

 

[Boneidle]

The base of the battery holder on my bike filled with water and messed with the torque sensor, I opened it up and dried it out all worked fine, If its really wet spray gets in the opening in the casing by the chain stays.

 

[moomoomoo]

The base of the battery holder on my bike filled with water and messed with the torque sensor, I opened it up and dried it out all worked fine, If its really wet spray gets in the opening in the casing by the chain stays.

Thank you for the advice. I had looked at that to check a few days ago, opened the base of the holder, blew off some dirt. Was surprisingly clean and dry - connections all sound, nothing looked odd.

As the walk-along function also doesn't work I an guessing it isn't the torque sensor (plus the fact that the torque sensor works fine for the 6 seconds it works after turning it on).

Do you know where the serial number is on a 2016 Model T?

Mick

 

[moomoomoo]

Momentum have moved there operation to Paris and have new contact info, try this email: hello@momentumelectric.com

They have replied to me this week regarding a query about my Upstart

this is there new web page

https://momentum-electric.bike/en/


For some reason there old page is still which is confusing as hell as its the one that comes up in the search results

Thank you.

 

[moomoomoo]

Just to update anyone in case they're interested.

Bike still not working.

The seller's workshop is 7 hours roundtrip away, so I have contacted some London-based electric bike retailers to see if they'd be willing to diagnose the problem for a workshop hourly fee.

Depending on the outcome I'm considering scrapping the bike (even though it's in warranty) as if I can't get it fixed, the theoretical warranty is useless.

If anyone might be interested in taking it off my hands (and would be willing to pick it up from London) please send me a private message. It's a 2016 Momentum Model T and the bike is OK apart from the fact that the motor assistance doesn't work.

Thanks.

 

[wheeliepete]

Umm, London-based ebike shop sounds expensive! You may just spend £50 or more to be told they can't fix it. From what I can see on the Momentum website your bike has a Bafang motor which is fine, and a Momentum produced controller and torque sensor, AUTORQ, which no one other than Momentum are going to be able to fix or replace parts on. If returning to seller is a no go, maybe investing £70 or so on a KT controller, LCD and PAS sensor is worth considering.

 

[moomoomoo]

Pete, thanks for the suggestion - someone has offered to look at it for £35 so I will try that first.

The workshop is about 50 mins cycle away which without assistance and only two gears is going to be challenging so fingers crossed.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

One more thing to check before you go to any trouble. Check that the motor connector on the fork is pressed together all the way.